1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium by the use of the electrophotographic method, such as a printer, a copier or a facsimile apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic image forming process, there has heretofore been adopted a process cartridge system in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means for acting on this electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge, which is made detachably mountable on the main body of the image forming apparatus. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be done by a user himself without resorting to a serviceman and therefore, operability could be markedly improved. So, this process cartridge system is widely used in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses.
Among image forming apparatuses of such a cartridge interchange type, there is one having the function of detecting that the toner remaining amount in the cartridge has become equal to or less than a predetermined value, and informing the user of it, as the standard when the user effects the interchange of the cartridge.
There has also been put into practical use one having the function of successively detecting the remaining amount of toner, indicating the remaining amount of toner by a gauge corresponding to the amount of toner as shown in FIG. 12 of the accompanying drawings and informing the user of it, for an improvement in usability.
In a toner remaining amount indicating device 140 as developer remaining amount indicating means shown in FIG. 12, the users is informed of the toner remaining amount by which portion of a gauge 142 a pointer 141 movable in conformity with the toner remaining amount is pointing to.
In this indicating device 140, all toner amounts from xe2x80x9cFullxe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9cEmptyxe2x80x9d shown in FIG. 12 are indicated by a single gauge 142.
The present invention is a further development of the aforedescribed art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus which can indicate the remaining amount of developer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus which can obviously indicate the remaining amount of developer.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus which, when the remaining amount of developer has become smaller than a predetermined remaining amount, can indicate it by increasing the width of graduations for indicating the developer remaining amount.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.